New head coaches vie for Apple Cup

No. 8 Washington State plays Washington in Seattle.
SEATTLE (AP) -- A year ago, Bill Doba was preparing Washington State's defense for the Apple Cup. Keith Gilbertson was seeking ways for Washington's offense to move the ball against the Cougars.
The former coordinators are head coaches now, and they'll lead their teams today when the Huskies (5-6, 3-4 Pac-10) meet the No. 8 Cougars (9-2, 6-1) in a rivalry that dates to 1900.
A year ago, coaches Mike Price of Washington State and Rick Neuheisel of Washington faced off in this game.
"I never thought I'd be the head coach. I'll be quite honest with you," Doba said. "And I always thought Coach Neuheisel was going to be a permanent fixture over there."
Neuheisel was fired last summer for gambling on the NCAA basketball tournament, a few months after Price left to coach at Alabama. He was fired from that job after an infamous night of partying.
New guys at top
Doba started his tenure in January, which allowed him to oversee spring practice and put the steady Cougars in the Pac-10 race. Gilbertson took over in August, and Washington's summer of turmoil carried into autumn.
After a stunning midseason defeat at home to Nevada, the injury-ravaged Huskies go into the Apple Cup having lost 27-22 at Arizona and 54-7 at California. Another loss would give Washington its first losing season since 1976.
"I really didn't know what to expect," Gilbertson said. "I think we had a chance to be a pretty good football team. It was looking like that, then one thing kind of led to another."
Everything has snowballed recently, when Washington lost to a down-and-out Arizona program then surrendered a school-record 731 yards in last weekend's blowout defeat to Cal.
"We're in a situation where we're probably not feeling good about ourselves," Gilbertson said. "Our self-esteem is probably lower than it's been for a long time. We've got to find a way to regroup and give a great effort."
Tradition
None of the players on this year's Washington team has ever lost to Washington State.
If the Huskies win, their slim chances of a bowl game would rest on a 6-6 record. But a loss would eliminate any possibility, and that factor weighs on the team's seniors.
"This could be my last game. That should motivate you in itself," linebacker Greg Carothers said.
There are questions surrounding Washington State quarterback Matt Kegel, who benched himself because of a sore throwing shoulder during last week's 34-19 win over Arizona State.
Freshman Josh Swogger, an Ursuline High graduate, took over last weekend.
"Matt Kegel is going to play," Gilbertson said. "It's the Apple Cup. Are you kidding me? But I have to tell you I'm impressed with Josh Swogger. He did well. He put the ball on the money, did a nice job moving their offense."